Offshore Wind Program OK’d

Tuesday, November 10, 2015 @ 03:11 PM gHale

The operators of what may be the largest offshore floating wind energy development gained licensing approval from the Scottish government.

Norwegian energy company Statoil earned the license for its Hywind pilot project off the coast of Aberdeen that envisions up to five turbines installed by an anchoring system that developers said would facilitate deep-water installation.

“Hywind is a hugely exciting project in terms of electricity generation and technology innovation,” Scottish Deputy First Minister John Swinney said. “The momentum is building around the potential for floating offshore wind technology to unlock deeper water sites.”

At full capacity, the company said the floating installation could generate 135 megawatts of power annually, enough to meet the energy demands of 20,000 average homes.

The Carbon Trust, a company working in a non-profit way to usher in a low-carbon economy, said a floating wind facility could cuts costs by up to $150 per megawatt when used in commercial operations.